An area man using chartreuse clousers was able to catch like "five awesome cutts today" off a Colvos Passage beach during the ebb tide. The area man went on to speculate that "Roger Stephens would have got like eight, probably on a topwater pattern or something cool." The man went on to add "Jesus I bet Steve Knapp, or Dimebrite, or even Bob Triggs would have got 17-18 inch rugby ball fish instead of these 16 inch fun size Baby Ruths." Dude went on to mumble something about "Leland's popper" before he started making sense again. He closed out noting "coulda been worse, I mean we had sun and fish...coulda been the end of the world..." last we saw Area man was shaking his head from side to side saying "chartreuse clousers" repeatedly with a dopey looking smile...

It was a weird day out, I was half convinced the weather would suck, partly because of the habituation of the last 6 weeks, but the day was glassy clear with intermittent sun breaks. I saw no bait in close, but large schools of larger fish, presumably resident coho, were slashing into bait well off the beach about a half mile or so. You could see spray intermittently kicked off. It looked like what you see on an east coast bluefish blitz. The birds were going insane. I was hoping to get into coho, but the Cutts were there and they were easy to spot, where as the coho were too far out. I had left the kayak at home.

Pretty much every riseform held a fish, and the riseforms were so tepid and weak it was a consistent surprise that there were fish of some heft beneath them. There wasn't a wuss of a cutt among them, they were all solid fish and fat and healthy looking. Bigger than the summer fish off this beach. Here I was thinking the cutt action slows for the winter...

On another note the cutts were not hanging where they do in summer. This time they were on the verge of a sandy and shallow muck-filled bay, pinned up tight against a rocky peninsular border, just hanging in the faster tides, waiting for ambush. Presumably they don't like that spot in summer because the bay gets warm, maybe into the low 60's or so, not hot, but warm enough. I am revising my opinions of cutts as only liking rocky beaches. So long as there is something to hide in- an overgrown bank, a boulder field, a verge of fist-sized pebbles, contrasting eel grass with something else... etc

I saw an otter too, first time I have seen off this beach. On another note this site is bounded by steep bluffs. The shoreline along those bluffs has changed markedly on account of landslides. There are a lot more trees in the water, mature madrones and cedars. Flotsam and jetsam too, an overturned rowboat floated past. Normally I wade along these bluffs but the notion of unsteady slopes above and a high tide hemming me close in did not sit well. No way am I going out in a mudslide. Because of the slides the water was turbid. Turbidity doesn't seem to help in fishing cutts, in the estuary not so much, but out in the sound- meh. Maybe that's why the fish were concentrated up, because their hunting grounds were narrowed some. Who knows. Alls I can say is it was a fun time, and I'd encourage y'all to get some more fishing in before the X-mas insanity really begins.

was a very nice end of the world afternoon. Humming birds were having a great time in my back yard.
wish i could have gotten out on the water.
and the end of the world sunset was great.
now what do we do ? oh well, found a nice end of the world fly to tie at the Global flyfisher site.

Great report Wadin Boot! I was out there at first light until the incoming tide pushed my back cast into the trees. Hooked up with a handfull of decent rezzies, but all of the fat ones jumped just out of my casting range of course. Weather did hold off anyway, water was like glass, almost too calm.

Yeah, that was a very fine "beginning of a new era" report.
Its not enough to sucker me into going fishing, though. I'm still making an effort to avoid using my right arm, so it will finally heal. All it takes is just one false move and I'm set back a few weeks. Trying not to let that happen. Once its completely healed up, I'll go fishing again.

With a beautiful view like that catching fishing would be just a bonus!

The first picture appears to show on the left Mt. Jupiter in the background and the Dosewallips River drainage on the right with Mt. Constance barely visible in the background. Beautiful back country in the summer months and a treat to see after a winter snow storm.

With a beautiful view like that catching fishing would be just a bonus!

The first picture appears to show on the left Mt. Jupiter in the background and the Dosewallips River drainage on the right with Mt. Constance barely visible in the background. Beautiful back country in the summer months and a treat to see after a winter snow storm.

Roger

Click to expand...

That is correct Roger! I've climbed Mt. Jupiter a couple of times also.

Thanks for the report Wadin Boot, nice job on the fat December Cutts. I miss fishing Colvos Passage beaches. With all these good reports I need to unwrap my Christmas gift early and hit a beach over the holiday.... perhaps when I visit Pt Townsend this week.
Great photos Larry!